Scott County, Kansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Scott City
No data center or power plant project is on record in Scott County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Scott County is home to Scott City. Construction employs 115, up 15.0% since 2019. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 2.3% in 2019. Employers here counted 2,158 jobs in 2025, down 6.1% from 2019. Midwest Energy Inc - (KS) is the largest utility serving Scott County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.44¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.97¢ median for Kansas utilities.
Cities and towns in Scott County
Scott County is home to Scott City.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Shallow Water.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Scott County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,141 | 4,815 | ▼ 6.3% | 67th of 105 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,299 | 2,158 | ▼ 6.1% | 87th of 105 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,155 | $54,555 | ▲ 35.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 100 | 115 | ▲ 15.0% | 29th of 51 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 27 | 20 | ▼ 25.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.3% | 3.4% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
4,815 people live here, down 6.3% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 20, down 25.9% since 2019 against up 23.4% statewide, at an average $44,707 a year.
Who powers Scott County
Utilities with service territory in Scott County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midwest Energy Inc - (KS) | Cooperative | Bundled | 29,832 | 11.44¢ | 25% |
| Wheatland Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,118 | 13.97¢ | 63% |
| Lane-Scott Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Scott County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Scott County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,158 | $54,555 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 115 | $55,698 | 1.01 |
| Electrical contractors | 20 | $44,707 | 1.29 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Scott County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Scott County. Kansas has 24 local measures on record statewide.
Scott County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Scott County, Finney County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott County | 4,815 | ▼ 6.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Finney County | 37,505 | ▲ 5.1% | 635 MW | — | — | — |
| Gove County | 2,631 | ▼ 11.9% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Kearny County | 3,888 | ▲ 12.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Lane County | 1,508 | ▼ 7.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Logan County | 2,661 | ▲ 3.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Wichita County | 2,031 | ▼ 17.0% | 99 MW | — | — | — |
More of Kansas
Scott County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Scott County, Kansas?
3 utilities have service territory in Scott County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Midwest Energy Inc - (KS), Wheatland Electric Coop, Inc, Lane-Scott Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Midwest Energy Inc - (KS), charged residential customers 11.44¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Scott County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Scott County.
Is Scott County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,158 jobs in 2025 against 2,299 in 2019 (-6.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 100 to 115.
Does Scott County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Scott County. Kansas has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.